A huge list of young female actors were considered for the role of Lisbeth Salander. Ultimately, what they were looking for was someone with originality.

Noomi Rapace’s leading role in the feature film Daisy Diamond drew the attention of the production team. This was a very brave role and it was decided that with her skills and mental strength she would be able to do miracles in the role as Lisbeth with the right director.

Noomi, a self-taught actress having never been to drama school, took to the role instantly.

She undertook a radical change in her appearance for starters – she cut her hair, took boxing lessons to change her body into a ball of muscle, got piercings in her eyebrow, lip, ears and nose. She even got her motorbike licence!

Everything is for real with Noomi, except for the huge tattoo, which was imported from America!

What was it about the script that made you want to do it?

Noomi Rapace: Actually, I said yes before there was any script. I read the books a couple of years before they even decided to do a film of it. So, when they asked me, I said yes right away.

When you read the books, did you ever imagine that you’d be Lisbeth?

NR: Never – it was totally the opposite. I read in the paper that they were going to do a film of the first book and I was so upset because I was sure that they wouldn’t even think of me. I was convinced they would consider me too girly or too cute. Even when they phoned to ask me to audition, I prepared myself for rejection. And I was almost right because the director, of The Girl with the Dragoon Tattoo, Niels Arden Oplev, now admits that he had seen some pictures of me before we met and he had said no. But when we met I said, “Believe me, I will become Lisbeth. I will transform myself into her”.

Did you change anything about your appearance for the audition?

NR: I borrowed some of my husband’s clothes, but that was it. So I had to work hard to convince him I could change. I told him I wanted to do all my own stunts. I don’t want anyone else to come and drive a motorcycle instead of me, and I didn’t want a stuntwoman to do the fighting scenes instead of me. I really wanted to change everything about my look, including my body, so I exercised a lot – mostly Thai boxing and kickboxing. Luckily, the director could see that I was serious and he believed I could find Lisbeth inside me, so the character could grow up from me.

She’s a very strong character...

NR: Yes, but not in every way. She can survive almost anything. But, when it comes to love, she doesn’t know how to protect herself. She’s been so lonely for such a long time, she doesn’t have any experience of love, and so it becomes the most dangerous thing in the world for her.

Lisbeth has a very distinctive look. Were those real piercings?

NR: Yes, but not real tattoos luckily! It was transfers that you put on with water. Like the ones you get when you’re a child, although much more expensive. They were around 2000-3000 Swedish crowns for each tattoo and we had to put them on every day.

There are some very traumatic scenes in the film. How difficult were those scenes to film?

NR: Of course it was hard. But it’s extremely important to trust the director and the situation, and you must be really convinced that the scene is necessary.

People think of Sweden as being very tolerant and laidback, which makes this film particularly shocking...

NR: Everybody says that! This picture of Sweden surprises them. Sweden is a fair country in many ways; it’s equal, free and calm. But it’s often just surface. People are determined to keep up this nice attitude, even though everything might chaotic at home or you might have had a big argument with your boyfriend. Everybody stays in line but, eventually, someone will always burst out.

Would you reprise the role of Lisbeth in the Hollywood remake?

NR: No, it wouldn’t be right for me to play her again. I’ve done my Lisbeth, so it’s up to somebody else to try now. Having said that, I’ve heard rumours that Stieg Larsson started to write another book in the series. It’s not finished but his girlfriend has it on his computer. So, who knows?

What’s next for you?

NR: I’m doing a film in Norway called Babycall. It’s a psychological thriller and I play a mother to an eight-year-old son. She’s on the run from her ex-husband and she’s trying to start a new life. The script messes with reality because, after a while, you don’t know what is real and what is in her head. It’s a complicated story but it’ll be a really good film. It’s a Norwegian director called Pål Sletaune.

You’re a mother in real life as well...

NR: Yes, I have a six-year-old son. Of course that helps when I play a mother. I always use everything I’ve gone through for my work.

What would be your dream role?

NR: There are people that I have been dreaming of working with for many, many years. Tilda Swinton is amazing and I really adore Gary Oldman. I love Nil By Mouth so, if he ever wants to direct again, I would love to work with him in any capacity. The same with Ken Loach. I have the deepest respect for him.